Nolan Reveals Two Most Chilling Musical Movie Moments Ever

Creating effective musical sequences in movies presents unique challenges for filmmakers. It's remarkably simple to slip into overly theatrical territory, where ordinary dialogue suddenly transforms into sung verses, or where unexpected soundtrack additions pull audiences out of the cinematic experience, breaking the illusion that makes movies work. However, Christopher Nolan has identified two sequences that he believes master this difficult art form perfectly.

Most people wouldn't naturally connect "musical" with "Nolan" in casual conversation. The filmmaker typically gravitates toward serious, reality-based narratives – consider Oppenheimer, his 2023 masterpiece exploring the life, achievements, and psychological struggles of J Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist commonly known as the "father of the atomic bomb." He managed to portray legendary figures like Albert Einstein with striking, unsettling authenticity. Honestly, Einstein breaking into a rap number seems pretty unlikely, right?

Modern Horror Meets Traditional Folk

This doesn't mean musicals must lack grit or authenticity. They don't all need to mirror La La Land – a movie Nolan actually admires – featuring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dancing through illuminated streets, tapping and moving to a fantastical beat that becomes increasingly disconnected from reality.

Interestingly, one of Nolan's favorite musical film moments actually premiered after that 2016 romantic feature. During a conversation with director Ryan Coogler at a special screening for his latest success, Sinners, Nolan called a particular scene "spectacular." He focused on a moment where the film's villain, Remmick, along with his vampire companions, performs the Irish folk tune, 'Rocky Road to Dublin.'

Nolan praised enthusiastically: "It's a wonderful film in a lot of ways, but it deals in very stereotypical tropes of Voodoo about what constitutes the darkness of the human soul – how it's expressed in anthropological terms. When I saw your film, the Irish River Dance, it was so chilling." The terrifying sequence combines historical elements, horror themes, and music's cultural significance in a moment that's both nerve-wracking and emotionally raw.

Kubrick's Disturbing Classic

Nolan's second choice for outstanding musical sequences came from Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film, adapted from Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel with the same title. This scene arguably contains even more disturbing content than the vampire-centered horror spiral in Sinners.

A group of criminals tricks their way into a couple's home to destroy their peaceful life, while performing a choppy version of 'Singing in the Rain,' famously performed and choreographed by Gene Kelly in the beloved 1952 movie musical. The agonized cries of a woman in red clothing, held captive on one criminal's shoulder, interrupt each line of their performance.

Using the thematic concepts from this scene as inspiration for his real-world discussion, Nolan added: "It's really the most spectacular musical inversion since Kubrick's 'Singin' in the Rain,' [from A Clockwork Orange.] I mean, what did we [Irish] ever do to you?" Two appropriately horrifying selections from the acclaimed director.